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I read L.A. REQUIEM because an editor I respect suggested Robert Crais after reading my manuscript. Some reviewers referred to it as a breakout novel for Crais. Based on what I saw here, I plan to read some of his later work.

The way the backstory informed the character development for Pike was highly readable. It reminded me a bit of PRIMAL FEAR by William Diehl, a favourite 90s read of mine. Thing is, it broke so many of the rules that get drilled into new writers, I kept wondering how Crais got away with it.

Elvis' voice works well for me, and the plot was thick with twists. I don't read many police procedurals, though, and can do without the cast of minor characters hanging around the cop shop.

One pet peeve: pages of italics struck me as a poor editing decision.

Bottom-line, for fans of crime fiction based in Los Angeles who want something several degrees lighter than James Ellroy, L.A. REQUIEM is worth a read.